For Every Action: Sequel to An Innocent Man
by LaneWolf
Summary: Depsite the rift in their relationship they must find a serial killer . Chapter 10 revised
1. What We Have Here is a Lack of Communica

For Every Action

Sequel to "An Innocent Man"

~*Prolouge*~

McKenzie Residence

0658 Local

A muffled groan sounded from behind the closed door of Sarah McKenzie's apartment. Outside Harmon Rabb Jr. wondered what could've been causing his usually self-possessed partenar to sound so aggitated. Taking a deep breath he raised a fisted hand to knock on the door.

Still grumbling Sarah opened the door before he could knock. "Mac."

"Harm?" She said looking up to see if she'd heard the voice correctly. 

"Ready to go?"

"Go?" Mac raised a brow.

"Mmm. We've got some time. I'll wait on you."

"Harm, what are you talking about it?"

"Meeting at 0730. The Chasvez case?"

Mac shook her head and pulled a hand through her hair. Harm really looked at her for the first time. The very short running shorts, tennis shoes already on.

"Mac?" Harm's lips curled briefly into a smug grin. "_You_ forgot?"

"Yeah." _And that is all your fault, Flyboy. _She thought as she walked by him and into her room. "I forgot the meeting." She called from just inside her closet. "But the research is done." There was rustling and a quick run of water. Then she was standing next to him looking at a tpicture of the pair of them together. Little AJ's third birthday party. Sliding her feet into the pumps she'd left in the living room, she sighed. "That was a good day." she said quietly and wondered if their most recent kiss had changed anything at all about their relationship.

JAG Headquarters

0755

He caught his breath and sat down opposite his partenar. "Okay, so now what did I do to make you angry?"

Her jaw dropped and the pen she'd held slipped from her grip. _He doesn't even realize. Let's see, Friday night, concert, kiss, after party. Saturday—nothing. Sunday—nada. The man—ugh exactly—_the man! _All right, down Marine. Let it go for now. _She tried a smile and succeed but only marginally. "Nothing, Commander. Everything's fine." She looked back down at her paperwork and picked up her pen. "Except you're going to be late for our meeting with the Admiral."

"Mac." He tried to stop her still confused. 

"Later, Commander. Right now I have a meeting" she opened to door to her office, "and so do you." she threw over her shoulder.

Colonel McKenzie nodded to Petty Officer Tiner as he waved her into Admiral Chegwidden's office. After a discreet knock she heard the command to enter. Without looking up the Admiral sighed. "Where's Rabb?"

"He was grabbing one of his files when I saw him last."

"Mmm." the older man sighed rubbing the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. Hearing approaching footsteps he called "Enter." Looking over the Commander the Admiral arched a brow. "Got everything you need now, Commander?"

"Yes, Sir." Rabb answered shooting a sidelong glance at Mac.

"All right, have a seat and let's get started." Leaning back in his seat, Admiral Chegwidden shook his head. "There's been an incident."

Harm quirked his lips to the side, and the words were out before he knew it. "What's new?" A.J. Sat bolt upright in his chair and pulled in a deep breath. Mac, for her part, shot Harm a shocked look. 

Looking over the man he very nearly considered a son again, A.J. reconsidred bellowing at him about the seriousness of his job. Beating back his temper, he tried another tack. Calmly he pulled out crime scene photographs and tossed them across his desk in Harm's direction. "Does this look like it merits your levity or sarcasm?" The tone of his voice was mild but deadly hard.

Picking up the pictures, Harm flipped through them one by one. Absorbing the grusome images had his senseof humor fleeing and an apology on his lips. "Sir, I--" 

"Save it, Commander." A.J. Told him more harshly than necessary. "These pictures were taken by the Master at Arms of the USS Thomas S. Gates."

"Sir," Mac began as she worked her way through the pictures. "There are three different victims here."

"Yes, Colonel, I'm aware of that. They are all reported UA within the last 72 hours; the bodies were found yesterday."

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	2. Getting There Is Half the Fun

For Every Action 2

~*1*~

Mac shifted unconfortably in her seat. Their flight had been delayed two hours ago and the end was no where in sight. Needing something to occupy her mind, she pulled the crime scene photos and reports out of her briefcase. She glanced over the pictures and picked up the obvious clues: all three victims were women, all three were tied up the same way, all three had had their eyes gouged out. Mac set the pictures aside and poured over the reports. Later, she pulled her head up and rubbed her eyes. Trying to sort out a common link in the victims' belongings was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Harm shot a a sidelong glance at her, concerned. She hadn't looked at him in two and a half hours. He shook his head as he heard the announcement that their flight would be boarding. Unfolding from the chair, he stretched. He'd waited to talk to her about the concert. He was trying to give them both some time to sort things out maybe that had been a mistake. He rolled his shoulders and slumped them dejectedly as he bent to pick up his carry on bag. _Or maybe she's just decided she doesn't want to...doesn't want me._ With that thought, he put a hand on her shoulder and felt her jump.

"Sorry." he said and squeezed her shoulder. "They're calling our row to board."

Standing up she stretched drawing several pairs of male eyes to her lithe form. "All right." She nodded and bent to pick up her bags, drawing yet more attention. As she straightened she watched a dark, violent look pass over Harm's features. "What?" she looked around, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He answered through clenched teeth.

"What?" Mac asked again as she followed him toward the gate. He muttered something under his breath. "What?" She all but yelled. He threw a hand but to stop her next inquiry.

They got to their seats and stowed their carry ons. Harm looked at his ticket. _Aisle. Of course. _He sighed, but let her slide by him. He sat and jerked his seatbelt across his lap. Mac's earlier anger was now replaced with concern. "Harm?"

His head shot up. His hands stopped tyring to jam the seatbelt together. It was the first timein days she'd said his name without a note of irritation. Her eyes looked at him concerned, pleading, and something else. Something that was always there but he could never put his finger on it.

"I'm all right, Mac."

"Okay, I thought I saw murder in your face when we were getting ready to board."

Trying his hand at humor on this tenuous new ground, Harm commented, "Well, I could have killed that jerk business man who kept mentally undressing you."

"Who?" Mac asked, amused.

"Some guy waiting on the plane." Harm shrugged. "But I can't really blame him. You were being pretty--" he paused and gave her a pointed look, "Conspicuous."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, come _on,_ Mac. All the stretching and bending?" Harm rolled his eyes then looked pointed at her uniform skirt. "All of you do that on purpose."

"All of _us_."

"You know, women." He knew he should stop before he ended up in a world of hurt, but sometimes he was just too thick skulled for his own good.

"Women." She nodded ruefully. "Well, Mr. Expert-on-motivations-of-all-womankind, I'd appreciate it if you left me out of your generalizations regarding the fairer sex."

"Mac." Harm said, his eye wide. "I was joking."

"Mmm. Too little, too late –that seems to a pattern for you."

Harm started to respond but the captain began making preflight announcements, and Mac was pulling her discman from her briefcase. Sighing he sat back and wished for the 90 minute flight to be over already.

When they landed in New Orleans, Harm went after luggage while Mac checked for their transportation. She was mildly surprised to see a Marine holding a placard bearing her name. "I'm Colonel McKenzie." she said nodding at his sign. 

"Nice to meet you, Ma'am. Lt. Colonel Gregory." He smiled at her briefly. "I'll be driving you and Commander, uh," he stopped."

"Rabb." she stated for him with just a little glee in her voice.

"What about Rabb?" Harm said as he approached from behind her. Seeing the young Marine smiling at Mac had his tomach in knots again, but he'd learned his lesson. He wasn't about to say anything remotely personal.

"Sir, I'm Lt.Colonel Gregory. I'll drive the car to Pascagoula, then you'll be on your own. I think they've got car ready for you there. It's a really small town," he said handing Mac a map. "It shouldn't be difficult to get around." Harm made his way to the car and threw the luggage in the trunk. "All right I'm going to--" he stopped short seeing the mass of fur fastened into the front seat. "What—Why?"

"Oh," Gregory said opening the back door. "I work with the New Orleans Coast Guard Installation. I was over here doing a random drug check for the vechiles going on base." He smiled at the toothy German Shepard. "Angelus here is a good boy, but he does get car sick so you'll have to ride in the back."

Harm nodded and watched Mac slide into the car. _Oh, good a gentleman, just the competition I need here._ Harm rolled his eyes and grumbled about having to get into the tiny sub compact.

Mac sighed and looked out the window. Her briefcase was in the trunk so there was little to do. Knotting her hands in her lap she leaned her throbbing head against the seat back. "How long is the drive?"

Gregory looked over his shoulder for oncoming traffic as he merged onto Highway 90. "About two hours."

Mac let her eyes flutter closed. Gregory's sympathetic green eyes filled her last concious vision, but it was Harm's rueful blue eyes that filled her dreams.

  
  


~*2*~

Two hours and ten minutes later, Gregory pulled to a stop at the front door of the BOQ, grandly called Lakeside. In fact, the lake was a small pond less than six feet in depth. While a few die hards fished in it, there were No Swimming signs posted and the few paddles boats were tied to a dilapidated fence post. Harm rolled his tired shoulders and put a hand on Mac's shoulder. She was aware of the light pressure on her shoulder; she was also aware the jolt of electricity that ran through her body when he touched her. Mac knew despite her groggy state that Harm hand touched her: her body had never given such areaction to any one else. Groaning at the thought, she forced her eyes open. When he was sure she was awake Harm pushed the car door open.

The heat was the first thing to hit him. Wet heat. While he'd heard people explain the difference before he could now feel it for himself. The weight of moisture in the air lent the sense of drowning to every breath. 

Shaking the thought from his head, he went to help Gregory with the luggage. Gregory nodded,and noting that Commander Rabb was handlingthelasttwo bags he went to Colonel Mckenzie's door and helped her out of the car. While Mac smiled, Harm muttered something about polite Marines under his breath. 

Mac caught the look Harm was giving her and rubbed at her still throbbing temples. _Well, this trip ought be loads of fun. A serial killer and a pissed off jet jockey. _Trying to think of a more uncomfortable situation, she picked up one of her bags and followed Harm inside.

  
  



	3. Defining Foreplay

A/N: Thanks to those who have reviewed.

For Every Action 3

Mac swept the back of her hand over her forehead and shook the beads of sweat and humidity from her short cap of chestnut hair. The run from the BOQ to the base bridge had been easy enough. The town was small and built on the ship building industry which was very clear at 7 am—all the traffic headed over the bridge toward the ship yard and NAVSTA Pascagoula. Mac had followed the traffic over the soon to close drawbridge to the long,low bridge leading onto to the base. As she approached she saw that three of the five ships home ported in Trent Lott's hometown were in port along with a Coast Guard cutter. Taking the pace brisk and steady, she checked her jogging shorts for her credentials. She paused as she approached the guard shack, and pulled the identification from her pocket. The guard gave her a once-over and waved her onto the base. Consulting her flawless internal clock, she knew she had an hour before their appointment with the base C.O. Jogging toward the squatty buildings at the south end of the base, she noticed very little activity on this section of the base. A small park graced on corner of a grassy hill. She'd known there was very little housing on base, but she was amazed by the actually sized the postage stamp size base. The gym facilities were probably the biggest buildings on base. Thinking of other bases, including Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mac wondered why additional housing had been built in the form of high rise buildings; she'd ask later. She grinned as she saw the pool and basketball courts. Adjusting the shoulder straps of her pack, she stopped at a wash wall and stretched her loose muscles. Feeling ten times more human than when she's woken up, Mac walked into the women's locker room and took a hot shower. Twenty five minutes later she was the picture of health and professionalism. She walked briskly from the gym to the base's main building and looked around for Harm. Shrugging, she headed into the building. And ran smack into Lt. Colonel Gregory.

"Good morning, Ma'am." he said with a smile. 

"Good morning, Mister Gregory." she nodded and bent to pick up the legal pad she'd dropped. "Since you're here, maybe you can direct to the C.O.'s office?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I actually just took you partener up there." he said leading her toward the stairs. 

"Harm's here already?" she asked slightly shocked. 

"Yes, Ma'am. He called me from the gym here on base." He opened the door to the third floor. "I was under the impression you meeting here."

"We are." Mac turned and caught a glimpse of the view. She lingered over the blue water and the barely visible islands on the horizon. "Gregory?"

"Yes, Ma'am?" He answered coming to stand behind her at the window. 

" I noticed there are no high rise quarters here. Why?"

"Hurricanes, Ma'am." He pointed to the islands on the horizon, "Those are barrier islands. The trees planted in specifically planned rows break the brunt of the wind, but having low buildings is safer this far south in the gulf."

She nodded and thought how sad it was that the view went to waste. Rolling her shoulders she turned to follow Gregory only to find Harm's eyes glaring at her. 

Gregory felt the tension and shook his head. "Look who I ran into, Commander."

"I see." Harm nodded. "Good morning, Colonel."

"Commander." she responded in kind. Looking at the Marine, she thanked him and started to walk away. 

"Colonel?"

"Yes?" she turned to face him. Gregory saw the look on the Commander's face and threw caution to t he wind. 

"There's a concert on one of the ships tonight. Their band plays about once a month to raise funds for Homecoming parties." he stopped and took in the absolute rage in Harm's eyes. "I've got an extra pass. Wanna come with?"

Mac nodded. "Sounds like fun." She turned to face Harm. _This however will _not_ be fun._ Sighing she made her way past Harm into Admiral Welting's office.

The Admiral's yeoman nodded at the Colonel and went back to typing swiftly on her computer. Harm sat down next to Mac and glared. "What?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing." Harm ground out between his teeth.

"On come _on_, Harm. I know you better than that." She sighed and rubbed at a temple. "What have I done now?"

"Not here. Not now."

"Fine." she whispered hoarsely as she caught the yeoman trying to suppress a grin. Then the Admiral buzzed for them. The next hour was spent going over evidence and asking questions. Unfortunately, the ship's C.O. Commander Self wouldn't be back from a family vacation until the next day. The Admiral dismissed the pair who were met downstairs by a golf cart. They took the two available seats wordlessly and rode across the tiny base in chilly silence.

~*2*~

Harm walked into his room and stripped off his blouse. He was more angry after spending the last three hours with _her_ than he ever remembered being. _Nothing. Obviously nothing I said or did penetrated that thick Marine skull of hers. _He wanted to scream. Three hours in the _Gates_ makeshift evidence lock up and they still had no solid leads on the three murders. _But damn if I'm not that much closer to committing murder myself. _He sighedand collapsed on to the bed. Seconds later he heard the water running in the bathroom his room shared with Mac's. Getting up from the bed, he knocked on the bathroom door. "Mac?"

"Yeah?"

"What're you doing?"

"Lt. Colonel Gregory is picking me up at 1700. I figured I get a bath, then read the notes I took. I might even take a nap." She let the sarcasm seep into her voice slowly.

"I just don't think going out with anyone involved in the investigation is a good idea." Harm called through the door. He was surprised seconds later when the door was ripped open and a gorgeous, towel clad, if furious Marine stood in front of him. _If looks could kill, I'd have die a torturous death by now._

"Commander," Mac started putting every bit of her anger, frustration, and hurt into her voice. "That is a decision you have no right to comment on. Besides. Having a lengthy pointlessargumentwith you is not on my schedule right now."

"Since when?" Harm shot back at her. "Since when are we no longer friends? Since when do you no longer have time for me?"

"Since Friday night—or rather Saturday afternoon." she stated blandly but with significant force—and slammed the door in his face.

Harm was mad, livid in fact, so he ripped the bathroom door open set to begin a tirade the likes of which Mac would never forget. Instead he was stopped by the door between her room and the bathroom. Without thinking, Harm pulled the door open with enough force to rattle the hinges. "I cannot believe you're behaving like a --" The insult died in his throat, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. There was Mac, dangerously close to the image he'd seen that day he'd fallen out of the Admiral's chair. "Oh." He said then went completely mute.

"Harm!" Mac grumbled as he pulled the door open. Seeing his expression, she turned on him. "Get a grip, Sailor. You act like you've never seen a naked d Marine before." She tried to joke as she put one arm in her robe and struggled to reach the other arm. Suddenly Harm was no longer frozen in place. In two strides he had her wrapped in his arms, his mouth crushed to hers possessively, hungrily. Mac caught her breath. She wanted to moan with relief; she wanted to melt against him; she wanted to given in to all the emotions and sensations running riotously through her body. Instead she stiffened and put her hands firmly on his chest and pushed him away. "This is _not_ happening, Harmon Rabb Jr." she got into her robe, picked up the low cut, high hemmed sun dress she'd chosen for the evening, and stalked past him into the bathroom—and locked the door. Harm paced silently around the room, and waited for her to open the door. When she did open the door an hour later, he lost the power of speech again. She stood there anger and frustration still bubbling just under the surface while soft green fabric covered and clung to every curve, a sliver flower pendant hung just above the dress' neckline at the curve of her breasts. Harm had nearly recovered when the knock sounded on the door. As she walked past him, she grabbed an handful of his t-shirt. "Being violently insulted or treated like a randy teenager _does not _count as foreplay in my book, Rabb." She let him go and picked up her new beaded purse. "You'll do well to remember that if you plan to leave Mississippi in tact." She said quietly, calmly, with a pointed look at his manhood. Harm swallowed with difficultly and watched at she left with Lt. Colonel Gregory.

_Jackass._ He berated himself as he shuffled back to his room.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	4. You Know What They Say About ASSUME?

A/N: Thanks again to those who have reviewed. Luckily for you :) I'm stuck at home with a nasty case of impetigo—think chicken pox but itchier. SoI'mactually getting tocompose as the character come to me...happy happy joy joy!

  
  


For Every Action 4

The balmy night air wieghed heavily on Mac until she stepped onto the gangway to the _USS Ticonderoga, Guided Missile Cruiser 47_. The fan tail was decked in colored lights and the crew wore their own brand of civilian beachware for the Hawiian themed concert party. Mac smiled as another couple approached Lt. Colonel Gregory. "Colonel MacKenzie, this is Lt. Stuart," he nodded at the petite blondewearing a navy blue sundress. "And _this _ is Lt. Commander O'Hare." 

"Tom." the tall dark skinned man offered as Esign Stuart stepped forward to take Gregory's arm. Mac nodded, suddenly understanding her presence.

"Mac." she said taking the Commander's arm. Heading for the buffet table arranged along the starboard side of the fantail, Lt. Stuart turned tospeak to Mac.

"That's a lovely dress ma'am."

"Thank you. It's Mac."

"Elaine. Nice to meet you." she beamed as Gregory and O'Hare disappeared in search of drinks. "Kevin said he'd roped you into coming because you were mad at the other JAG officer that came down with you."

"He's right."

"Tom's a great guy. He lost his wife about a year ago." she stopped and turned to nod at the well lit drawbridge. "She was hit head on by a drunk driver. Killed her instantly."

"It's very sad." Mac commented as compassionately as she could.

"Well, now with all the craziness over there on the _Gates" _Elaine shook her head. "I don't know how he does it."

"Tom works on the _Gates?"_

"Yeah. He'sthe X.O." I'm sure you'll see him tomorrow."

"Mmm. I'm sure." Mac thought about what Harm would say. Thought about how it might affect the investigation, and decided to roll with it. At best she'd have a high ranking source on the _Gates_ at worst she'd have one more thing to worry about during this investigation. Having a good time seemed to be worth it. "Well, let's not talk about it now." Mac said as she saw the men head back with their drinks. "I would like to talk to you about the women who've been killed though."

"Anytime, Ma'am."

  
  


~*2*~

He stood in the shadows a moment before joining the lovely Petty Officer Gilradi again. Soon he ask for a tour below decks, he'd make it sound a little suggestive, but not too much because she was in general a good girl. He plastered a friendly smile on his face and fingered the semmingly innocent key chain in his pocket. When he saw he r look his way, he stepped out of the shadows smile in place and walked her into a dance.

  
  


~*3*~

Mac returned to her room shortly after the concert ended feeling light as a feather. Talking to a rational, mature, adult for the last few hours had been like heaven, and while she wished she could say there'd been chemistry between them they both knew it wasn't there by the end of the evening. Sighing Mac sat on the edge of her bed and kicked off her shoes just before the door between her room and Harm's burst open. "Have a good time, Colonel?" He asked with a grim look toward the hem line of her dress.

"What? Have you been waiting by the door all night—or what?" She got up and shrugged. "Never mind I don't care." _God how I wish that was true. _"Yes, as a matter of fact i had a great time."

"What about Lt. Colonel Gregory? Did he have a good time?"

"Well, I can't speak for Kevin," she paused long enough to let Harm simmer over the fimilarity of using Gregory's given name. "But he and his _girlfriend_ seemed to be have a nice time when I left." She let the viciousness of her mood drive her through the conversation.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yes. Girlfriend." Mac answered harshly, deciding to omit meeting Tom O'Hare. _This is definitely not the time._

Harm calmed down a greatdeal when he realized the concert hadn't been a date, but now he was confused. "So why--?"

"He had an extra ticket just like he said, Harm."

"Mac,I --"

"Really I don't want or need to hear it, Harm." She sighed and pulled open the drawer where she'd stowed her night clothes. Deciding on something feminine, she pulled out an ivory column of silk that had Harm's jaw dropping and his already over worked imagination running a mile a minute. "I'm tired Harm. We've got an early morning with Commander Self. What 'd you say we get some sleep and forget this day ever happened?"

"Agreed." he nodded, putting his handout to shake hers. Hwen their hands touched Harm wanted desperately to pull her tired firgure into his arms and hold on for dear life. Instead, he squeezed her hand and spoke quietly, "Get some sleep, Mac. Can't havemy Marine looking haggard in the morning." he let go and walked back to his room with out another word or look back.

"His Marine?" She whispered.

_My Marine? _ He thought wanting to smackhis forehead like a tongue tied teenager. _What's that gonna cost me. _But the grin that covered his face had little to do with cost and everything to do with possession.

  
  



	5. The Cassandra Syndrome

A/N: Again, thanks if you're reading, double thanks if you're reviewing. Sorry these two chapters were so short. Hopefully I'll get better and have some out of bed time to remedy that.

For Every Action 5

He and Mac strolling hand in hand down a breezy lane. He could almost feel the wind o his face, then they turned off the bridge they'd been strolling across. They stood on the quarterdeck of the _Ticonderoga._ Harn shookhis head and looked behind him. Something had his guard up. Something...but what? Then he heard her laugh, and all rational thought was lost as he followed her onto the fantail of the ship. She stood there, hari blowing hin the sea breeze, laughing—for some reason he thought she might be laughing at him—then all hell broke loose. The ship rocked beneath his feet, and a wave of searing heat knocked him onto the rough surfaced deck face first. It was all fine until he saw that Mac was holding a little boy, one with her dark comlexion and chestnut hair—then he saw the boy's eyes—it was like looking into a mirror. "Matthew!" he called over the din of the blasts continuing behind him. "Mac!" he screamed trying to crawl to her, tyring to save her. Before the flames tookher her saw her eyes for the last time. In them he read love—love and accusation. _Whay can't you save us, Harm? It'd be so easy to do. _ Her voice rang in his head, repeating the accusation the question, over and over. His voice called until he was strangledby smoke: "Mac!" Until he felt the less than gentle shaking, and the firm slap across the jaw. He awoke and sat bolt upright.

"Harm!" she edged her herself closer to him on the bed. "Harm!" she said quietly taking his face into her hands. "Harm, its okay. Just a--" she was stopped by the rough motion of him draggin her against his chest. "Nightmare, Harm. Just a nightmare." She wrapped her arms around him and began to rock him as sobs coursed through him. As the storm of emotion passed she whispered gentle words of comfort to him. 

When his breathing evened out and she thought he'd gone back to sleep, she tried to lay his head back on the pillow and go. Reacting to the loss of contact, he gathered her closer and whimpered. Muttered something she couldn't make out. Sighing she settled back against the pillows, then he said it again—clearly, passionately: "I'm sorry, Sarah." He dragged down a breath. "I didn't know how to stop it." The tears that came this time were mournful, but less physical. Ten minutes later his while Mac ran soothing hands over his back, his whole body relaxed and Mac relaxed with him. Hours later as the first lights of day shone through the window, she was still pondering his words.

  
  



	6. The Moring After, The Night Before

A/N: Note the change in rating here. I don't know if it's really necessary, but I thought better safe than sorry. 

For Every Action 6

Harm woke slowly to the sound of Vanessa Carlton on the radio. Finding himself more rested than he had been in months, Harm dug down in to the covers reluctant to end the nights' sleep. It was then that his groggy mind realized the difference. With very little memory of the night's happenings, Harm looked up to find Sarah McKenzie's sleeping face hovering over him. Going very still he tried to remember why she was in his bed. There was the obvious reason, but as it was something he'd been waiting years for he was sure he'd remember _that_. Deciding not to test the waters this early in the morning, he disentangled his arms from Mac's waist and sat up slowly. She moaned quietly at the loss of contact very nearly undoing the tenuous control Harm was trying to build. Sliding off the bed, he walked into the bathroom started the shower. As steam began to fill the small, tiled space he stuck his head out the door to check on Mac. Just as her eyes opened, and she stretched the sleep from her limbs. She blushed slightly when her eyes locked with his. He, on the other hand, went white as a sheet. The nightmare came back with stunning, vivid clarity. Tears stood in his eyes again, and he could all but see her consumed by the flames. "Mac." His voice broke over her name. 

"Harm, It was just a nightmare." She stood and went to him. Laying a hand on his shirtless shoulder, she looked hi min the eyes, "Tell me about it?"

"I don't think I can." He croaked grabbing at the hand she'd laid on him. Letting go when she pulled back, he watched as she shuffled through the bathroom back to her room. Within the hour the were both dressed, and hunting down a killer. 

  
  


~*2*~

"What makes you think the killings were crimes of passion?" Mac questioned picking a pencil up from the table. "I mean since all the bodies are very meticulously in the same condition—I don't know, Harm, they look like your typical serial maniac."

"Except the wounds. Killer used a knife. Pathologist says he got pretty violent. The stab wounds are all jagged. No methodical in and out motion—instead, it's more an in and twist motion."

"And?" Mac asked with a nearly imperceptible shudder.

"Serial killers are notoriously unattached emotionally." Shaking his head he glanced back over at the inventory of personal effects from each victim. He and Mac had circled all the common items. Since the women were all Sailors, all stationed to the same ship—the lists were a mass of red circles. Harm started to close the first folder when an item common to all three victims struck him. Flipping through the other two folders her brought out all three lists. 

"What is it, Harm?"

"This," he pointed out the glasses listed on all three effects manifests, and going back through the boxes he brought out each of the glass. "_Laissez les bons temps rouler."_

_"_Let the good times roll." Mac murmured. 

"French?"

In spite of the grim scenes Mac dazzled him with a smile. "Mardi Gras, Harm. You've never been?"

"Not something I'd gotten around to." he shrugged. "I'm really not a hedonist--" he looked her in the eye, "Despite your opinion of me."

"I never said you were a hedonist—perhaps a lecher—but never a hedonsit." 

Getting back to business, Harm focused on the glasses. 'They're identical. All three."

"Yeah, the probably went to New Orleans together and got souvenirs." Mac shrugged looking through the pathology reports again, hoping she'd see something she'd missed. After a long stretch of studious salience Mac's stomach decided to turn on her. Pressing hand to the loud rumbling she looked up at Harm with a wry smile.

"All right, Let's go eat." She jumped up eagerly. "But I'm not eating at that little shack of a McDonald's." Her face fell.

"It's the only thing close." 

"I'm sure you can wait the five minutes it'll take us to drive into town." She pouted, but he held his ground.

Over a lunch of what Mac less than affectionately termed "rabbit food," they discussed the case in the easy manner of old friends and coworkers. As she shoved the lettuce on her plate around, Mac's cell phone rang. "McKenzie." She answered and waited for a reply. "Tom. How nice to hear from you." She looked at Harm and shrugged. "You're in Biloxi?" She waited for the answer and slid from her seat in the booth. As she walked away from the table Harm heard her laugh and agree "Sure, I'd love to. Tonight? All right I'll be there." He watched her close the phone and tried not to glare as she sat back down.

~*3*~

Mac slid into Tom's booth as the waiter appeared carrying her water glass. She chuckled low in her throat. "Always said I had great timing." She joked.

"Thanks for coming, Mac. I don't like to eat alone, and it seems I've been forced to do it far too often recently." Mac smiled and they began to chat quietly, companionably until he waiter took their orders. After appetizers and entrees they ordered dessert and coffee, still talking quietly. 

"Well, the other reason I wanted to talk to you is that I'll be taking leave for the next two weeks. I'm taking my brother and his fiance out west. If there's anything you—or Commander Rabb—needs regarding the investigation here's my cell phone number." He handed her a small white card. Reaching under the table He pulled out a brightly wrapped box. "Just a thanks for having dinner with me. A small token. Open it later." She smiled and slid out of the booth to take his arm as he lead her out to his car. The easy drive back to Pascagoula was comfortably silent, and Mac gave a small sigh of relief for it. The gift in her lap had made her a little self conscious, but she figured that he was an older man, from a more gallant time. Shrugging,she straightened in the seat and leaned over to kiss his cheek as he pulled to a stop. "I had a nice time,Tom. If you see any available cowboys, send 'em my way."

Mac opened the door to her room and groaned. Sliding off her dress and undergarments, she settled on top of the blankets and promptly passed out.

Between her infallible internal clock and the seriously off key Sailor singing in the shower, Mac awoke with a start, but settled back into the blankets once she was reassured of her surroundings. She stretched into a sitting position and saw the brightly wrapped box on her nightstand. The thought of the sweet man who'd given her the gift had a small smile spreading over her face. Pulling the ribbon, and divesting the box of it's paper, her smile froze as she opened the lid to reveal a souvenir hurricane glass. "_Laissez les bons temps rouler." _ She read the imprint. "Let the good times roll." she whispered her voiced filling with an ironic tone of dread. "Harm!" she called frozen by shock, hurt by her terrible judge of character. Leaving—"out west" _Oh God! _Regaining the use of her feet, Mac sprang from the bed and pounded on the door. "HARM!" she screamed trying to hold off the panic bubbling up in her throat.

  
  



	7. Take the Wheel and Steer

A/N: Again, thanks for the reviews—makes it much easier to write the next part of the story when you're sure what your writing is at least acceptable. :-D

Of course the characters don't belong to me...if they did I'd write all this into the really-real scripts. The song is Incubus' "Drive."

  
  


For Every Action 7: Taking the Wheel

Harm jumped out of the shower and ripped the door to Mac's room open. "Mac! What?" He said not catching the pale fear on her face. From his vantage point--half out of the door half behind it--Harm saw the glass in her hand and anger trembled through him. "What the hell is _that _doing out of the evidence lock up?" While she was pacing around the room, he took a minute to anchor a towel around his hips. He glared waiting for her answer.

"Harm," she looked up at him. He caught the cold edge of panic in the voice, but it was warmed by hot pride driven temper. Always the efficient Marine, She stepped back from him and shoved the rising panic back down. "I didn't take this from lock up." Harm looked past her, forehead wrinkled in concentration. Realization hit him. "Your date? Tom wasn't it?"

"Yeah, Tom."

"I 'd wager a guess that he's our killer."

"Me too." she said looking down at the glass in her hand. "All right there are a couple of complications—one he's the XO on the _Gates."_ she waited for the lecture, but only received a tight lipped scowl. "And" She paused taking a deep breath, "obviously he wouldn't just hand me this very obvious documentation of guilt then stick around to be arrested right?"

"Right." Harm dragged the word out giving Mac a look that screamed "stop trying to sugar coat it."

"Last night he said he was taking his brother out west."

"Out West?"

"Mmm-hmm." she nodded.

"That's it." Harm stalked back into his room and when she didn't follow immediately he seized the opportunity to slide his boxers on. Trying to calm his nerves he took several slow breaths before hauling a white under shirt on and pounding back across the bathroom and into Mac's pacing path. As the two slammed into one another sparks that had as much to do with anger as their natural chemistry flew. Grabbing the top of her arms he shook her less than gently. "Do you realize that you let a murderer walk off, get on an plane and disappear?"

"I didn't know he was a murderer at the time, Harmon." she said shaking loose of his hold and landing a punch to his gut before he could dodge her. Doubled over, Harm watched her sit on the edge of the bed. He saw it then, the same look she'd had when a maniac stalked her, the same blank eyes that meant she'd shut her emotions off—like a good Marine. "Mac," he said straightening up, "Are you all right?" 

She nodded but couldn't trust her voice. _Why?_ The look she shot Harm asked.

"He didn't hurt you?" She shook her head. "Good. 'Cause I'd hate to kill a Superior Officer." Her weak smile allowed him to loosen the knots in his stomach just a little. "The men you pick." he chuckled and pulled her shaking head to his shoulder. When he saw the color return to her cheeks, he turned her face toward his. He watched the old questions pool in her deep brown eyes. "I'm not going to let them hurt you anymore, Mac." With that promise, he laid his mouth gently on hers. A whispered request, a physical promise to protect—he left with her the choice to accept or push away.

Mac let the sensation of his promise wash over her. Being a "ninja-girl" was all well and good, but every now and then she (like every other woman) longed to be cared for, protected, loved. Placing a hand on Harm's cheek, she took the kiss a fraction deeper, steeping herself in the feel and taste of him before she broke contact. She raised her eyes to his.

Harm understood looking into her eyes that her response was a conditional acceptance of that promise. He held her face a moment and searched her eyes. _The old questions are still there. _Looking deeper he whispered, "Along with a few new ones I imagine," before moving his forehead to hers.

"Let's go find out where this guy went." He said lacing his fingers through hers. 

  
  


~*2*~

"So why did he kill them, Mac?" Harm asked as they made their way to the airport in New Orleans.

"Maybe he was having an affair with one of them?"

"Or all of them?"

"Could be." She responded with a nod.

Harm drove the small, white Dodge while Mac made phone calls to the NO FBI office. When she hung up, she nodded at Harm. "They'll send an agent to help us get the information we'll need to find him. They have his name—they're looking for passport activity already."

"Good." Mac reached into the backseat to put her cell in her purse.

"Mac? Did you bring civvies?"

"Some," she shook her head, "but not many."

"I'm just thinking we'll stick out like sore thumbs in summer whites—unless he went to Antartica." Harm tried a joke.

"True." she laughed thinly giving him a small but genuine smile.

Once the car had pulled to a stop in the long term parking lot, Mac reached across Harm to pop the trunk. Harm very nearly lost control at the unusually impatient gesture. Mac, oblivious to Harm's personal distress ran to the trunk, pulling out one of the files she'd made copy of back at the base in Pascagoula. "March 1, 2002." she whispered, looking at the date in the victim's record. 

Recovered from his earlier agitation, Harm started pulling luggage out of the trunk. "Now what was so important that--" stopped not willing to give himself away quiet yet.

"She had a DUI in Slidel, LA on March 1, 2002."

"Who?"

"Angela Pearson, Petty Officer Pearson, EM2(SW), _USS Thomas S. Gates."_

"And?"

"Tom's wife. She was killed by a drunk driver. I'll have to check his service record for the date, but I'm pretty sure we just found our motive."

Harm took the file from her and put it back in her briefcase. "They're probably waiting for us inside, Mac."

"Yeah." Mac said and moved to pick up her small suitcase. Seeing the far off look in her eyes, Harm decided to bring her back to reality by closing his hand over hers. Mac looked up at him, pointedly at his shoulders boards. Harm shrugged and impulsively bent taking advantage of her shock. The light kiss he planted on her cheek was more than friendly and certainly against the rules while they were both in uniform. Arching a brow at her, he let that smug smile say it all: "What'cha gonna do about it, Marine?"

Arriving at the information desk, they were greeted by an Agent Samuel Paul. He handed Mac a thick file, "This was faxed here for you, and this," he said handing Harm a single sheet, "is the passenger manifest for Flight 813 to Wyoming."

Harm called the JAG Headquarters from the airport where they waited for their plane to Wyoming to board. Though not all together thrilled, Chegwidden was glad to hear that they had discovered the killer's identity. Mac was already on her phone by the time Harm had hung up. Tapping her foot impatiently, she waited through the fourth ring and was about to hang up when Elaine Stuart picked up the phone. "Lt. Stuart?"

"Yeah, Who's this?"

"This is Colonel Sarah McKenzie, we met at--"

"The Steel Beach concert." the other woman finished for her. 

"Yeah. Um, I need to ask you about Tom." Mac looked at Harm taking a deep breath trying to keep the conversation light and friendly. "I saw him for dinner lat night, and he said he was going out West to see his brother." She paused thinking of a way to phrase her question. "Do have any idea how I might reach him at his brother's."

"Is the Commander in some kind of trouble?" Mac considered carefully before lying to her. "No, no, I have to leave town this afternoon, and I wanted to say good bye."

"Oh. That's odd, I didn't think Tom had a brother." Mac sucked in a breath and gave Harm that _the-plot-thickens _look. 

"That's all right Elaine, I'll just call him when he gets back. Bye." She pressed the button to hang the phone up and groaned. "Lt. Stuart doesn't remember the Commander having a brother."

"Colonel McKenzie, Commander Rabb!" the shout came from Agent Paul who waived something furiously at them. "He screw up—big." Handing the fax to Mac he looked at Harm. He checked in a motel in Larimie, then used his credit card to pay for the room."

Harm looked at Mac, his eyes all suspicion. "That wasn't very bright." Mac arched a brow and nodded as the PA announced boarding for their flight. "Thanks, Agent Paul." Harm nodded and picked up Mac's carry on along with his. Despite the situation, Mac smiled at the small, unconscious gesture. 

The flight was long and thought both tried, neither slept for the first half hour. Mac eventually pulled out her new gadget. She'd given in to impulse when she'd visited the PX in Biloxi. Unraveling the cord to her head phones, she slid them over her ears and turned the Ipod on. The music that flowed from the little speakers at her ears soothed her, allowing her to relax. The light acoustic guitar twanged behind the smooth vocals. Mac closed her eyes and listened. She wasn't even aware of Harm' eyes on her. Though she was quiet and he was certain she didn't know she did it, Mac sang with the music pouring from her headphones. Listening to Incubus (directly or indirectly) they both drifted into sleep.

_Sometimes, I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear. And I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer. It's driven me before, and it seems to have a vague, haunting mass appeal. But lately I am beginning to find out that I should be the one behind the wheel. Whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there with open arms and open eyes. So if I decide to waiver my chance to be one of the hive will I choose water over wine and hold my own and drive? It's driven me before and it seems to be the way that everyone else gets around. But lately I'm beginning to find that when I drive myself my life is found. So whatever tomorrow brings, I'll be there with open arms and open eyes. Would you chose water over wine...take the wheel and drive._

Mac awoke to a light touch and gentle shake of her shoulder. "Ma'am," the pretty young flight attendant said, "Ma'am we'll be landing soon. If you and your husband could fasten your seat belts?" She smiled as Mac opened her mouth to protest, but closed it again then she walked down the aisle to the next sleeping passenger. As sleep slowly drifted out of her, Mac stretched her legs and felt the weight on her shoulder and across her waist. _No wonder she thinks we're married._ She rolled her eyes as she tried to snake her arms around Harm's waist in search of his seatbelt. Finally digging the catch out from under his heavy sleeping form she buckled him in and started to sit back up. His hand on her back stopped her. His eyes fluttered open and stared unseeingly at her. "Mac." He slurred sleepily as he ran his hand up her back and into her hair. Trying to decide whether to wake him or let him drift back to sleep, she settled on the latter as he guide her head to his chest and brushed his lips over her temple. Sighed contentedly Mac decided to enjoy it while it lasted. _While neither of us is awake enough to be scared senseless. _Sighing again she laid her arm across his hips and let herself be held.

Harm woke to the large aircraft being put gently onto the runway. Around him other passengers were gathering their belongings as the plane taxied toward the gate. Harm felt the weight on his chest and across his hips and had no desire to move. Smiling he looked down to find his hand buried in Sarah's hair holding her to him. A catch in her breathing told him that she wasn't asleep, only relaxed. _What's wrong with liking this? Why am I scared to tell her I want her like this all the time?_ He questioned himself as she pulled gently against him. He let her go and looked out the window rather than at her. He cleared his throat and stretched his long arms out in front of him._ Anything but look at her right now. Anything. _"So we'll head to this motel, ask which way he headed, and hope to catch him at his next stop. Right?" 

Mac looked at him, something searching in her eyes and shook her head. "Yeah, sure. I'll call Agent Paul as soon as we get on the road. Ask him if where're any more leads." He shook his head. _All business, Mac's back_. He thought with a sigh. She pushed her herself from the cramped seat and stretched her entire body in one fluid movement. One movement that had Harm's blood moving more swiftly than he was comfortable with. Rising and propelling her a little roughly out of his way, Harm collected his carry on and walked toward the head. Mac for her part stared after him with a look that would have killed a lesser man. With a grumbled oath she left the plane, headed for the baggage claim.

~*3*~

As they pulled to a stop in front of the motel Harm grabbed his note pad and climbed from the passenger side of the car. Following him closely, Mac placed her cover on her head. Looking over at him, she spotted is cover in the back seat. "Hey Sailor?" She called after him, looking pointedly at his uncovered head. Harm rolled his eyes and claimed the cover from the back seat. 

_This is going to be a _looooong _trip. _Mac thought as she lead the way into the motel office. After fifteen minutes of questions, the office manager said the man had mentioned a spread, Cloudy Oaks Ranch, in conversation. Backing out of their parking space, they were surprised to see an old man, presumably the janitor, aiming a rifle at Harm's head. He called loudly over the screech of tires as Harm screamed out of the parking lot. "You leave Commander O'Hare alone! You hear me?" he fired a shot in the direction Harm had taken the car. "Leave him be!" He fired another shot that shattered a window. They heard the man continue screaming as they sped away. Harm looked toward Mac who was trying to hide a bleeding gash on her arm. The darkening night sky made it difficult for him to see what she was doing, but the street lights above them hummed to life, and the bright red blood staining through her uniform shirt was a shock to Harm. "Mac!" He reached over to move her hand, and saw the blood. Letting go he fished out his cell phone and dialed 911. Mac, all the while, tried to clam him down. "I need directions to a hospital." he stated, and told the dispatcher that the incident had happened in the car. After he hung up he made a u-turn and sped in the direction of the closest hospital. She calling the ER to let them know we're coming in. 

"Come on, Harm, It's a scratch." she tried to laugh, but she'd been unable to stop the bleeding. And she was starting to feel a little light headed. "I've done worse to my self cutting fruit." she tried to joke again, but her words word slow and slurred. 

Realizing she was slipping, he reached over and put a hand on her thigh. "You don't eat fruit, Mac." Giving her thigh a hard squeeze, Harm starting quizzing her on Marine Corp regulations. In five minutes he was pulling her out of the car carrying her into the ER.

**Two Hours Later**

"Fifteen stitches is _not_ minor, Mac." he sat down and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"It's not life threatening either, Harm." she replied feeling a little weary since they'd gone over this three time already.

"You're going back to Washington. I'll find O'Hare." _And kill him with my bare hands for sicking that maniac old man on us. _His eyesdrifted to the guaze covered wound near her wrist.

"In a pig's eye, Rabb." She was pissed. "I'm a Colonel in the United States Marine Corp, _Commander." _She put all the emphasis she could on the word. "I'll be going to hunt down O'Hare as soon as the doctors release me."

"Mac, I--" he stopped as she held up a hand.

"Harm, you're allowed to be concerned, you are not allowed to bully me." She looked at the wounded on her arm. "I helped Chloe's dad coach one of her soccer practices once." the memory had her smiling and her smile had Harm's stomach tied into serious knots. "One of the girls went down during a play. She bounced back up, but it took a second. I ran out to make sure she was all right. She looked at me and smiled, 'Coach says you didn't play hard enough if you didn't get hurt.'" Mac looked at Harm and pulled her arm through the sleeve of her uniform. Soon she was sitting on the gurney in her camisole. "Hey, Harm. Run and get my extra uniform jumper?" She asked starting to remove her ribbons from the bloodied jumper. "Thanks." She called as he turned to walk to the car.

Harm came through the ER doors and found Mac's doctor. Cornering the man he asked: "Will she be all right if she leaves now."

The doctor nodded. "She should be fine. Though I would normally keep her over night for a wound that nicked a blood vessel..."

"We'll be staying in town over night." 

"If you have any problems, Commander," He said placing a card in a surprised Harm's hand. "Call me at either number. Any time." The doctor started to walk away but turned, "Don't be so surprised, Commander, the Navy put me through med school." The smile on his face grew as he walked down the hall.

Harm got Mac's uniform to her and got her into the car. Over the next hour he found a Wal-Mart where they could both buy inexpensive civvies, and a hotel where they would have to share one room—that had two beds. 

Mac was taking her turn in the bathroom first. Giving the stitches on her arm a new dressing she considered throwing her new jeans on before vacating the bathroom. With a shrug she threw the gauze and tape into her make up bag. _Hell, he's seen me just out of the shower, what 's a look at my jammies gonna hurt? _Picking up the bags she' brought in with her she opened the door, stepped out and nearly killed Harm.

He tried to swallow, but his mouth had gone too dry. The sight of Mac in a column of ivory silk had been nice, the sight of her just out of the shower, naked had nearly cost him his mental health, but seeing her in what was basically a navy blue man's t-shirt had him floored. His heart hammered against his ribs. 

Oblivious to her effect on him she pushed her hair out of her face. "Bathroom's all yours,Fly boy." She looked over and saw him staring. She looked down at the t-shirt emblazoned "Fly Navy" across the chest and shrugged. "They didn't have any _good_ night shirts." She turned to put her clothes in the bag on top of the dresser. In a split second, Harm was at her side, turning her around and kissing her. _Really _kissing her. It had nothing to do with protecting her, or being angry with her, it was totally about wanting her. Tearing his mouth from hers, Harm tried to tell her what he felt, tried to explain, "Mac, I--" he stopped, but wrapped his arms around her waist, and tried again. "Sarah," the name came out a whisper against her lips. He couldn't find the words. Instead, he guided her to the bed and showed her all the things he had always wanted to say but couldn't. 

Later as he held her close, she smiled, and he searched her eyes again. _All the old questions are gone. _He thought brushing his lips against her forehead. Closing his eyes, he drifted into a peaceful sleep holding the woman he loved.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	8. 3 Days 3 Cities 3 Little Words I

A/N: Again thanks to readers and reviewers. I really did change the rating this time—nudity—descirbed nudity, but nudity nonetheless along with a brief, tasteful (IMHO) sex scene.

  
  


For Every Action 8: 3 Days, 3 Cities, and Three Little Words Part I

Day 1

0730

Laramie, Wyoming

Mac woke slowly, stretching languidly, slightly confused by her surroundings. Something told her she was fine—that the unfamiliar surroundings were safe or at least that she'd be safe in them. Throwing her feet on the floor, and swinging her self out of bed she smiled at the man she's loved for such a long time. The one who'd finally become her lover last night. She sighed remembering all the inuendo, flirtations, even out right rejection their friendship had endured. She wondered vaguely if the friendship would survive the strain of romance, and shrugging went to put on coffee. Waiting for the coffee to brew she stared out the window into open space and replayed a million events that had lead her to this place and decided if Harm loved her, loving him back was worth any risk—even risking the most serious, intimate relationship in her life. Grabbing another mug she went to wake him and see what their first day together would bring.

Harm woke to the booming sound of the thunder outside and frowned at the empty bed. He reached over to the pillow where Mac had been when he went to sleep and fel the warmth there. A satisfied smile crossed his features. _She just left. Probably went to put on that sludge she calls coffee._ He smiled knowingly. Throwing the covers off, he planted his feet on the floor and pulled on a pair of sweatpants before heading to the kitchenette. She was there, standing at the window staring or dreaming with a half smile playing on the corners of her mouth—she wore nothing else. The window overlooked a wide green pasture that climbed into deep blue mountains. Lost in her thoughts, Harm was sure she wouldn't see or hear him as he snuck up behind her. Seeing her in the morning, naked, rumpled, uncharacteristically dreamy eyed made him want to entice her back into the bed. He wanted to start today the way they'd ended yesterday. He smiled as he snaked his hands over her waist and across her bare stomach.

"Good Morning, Marine."

"Hey there, Flyboy." she smile and turned her head to catch his mouth in a brief but eloquent kiss.

"It's a pretty pasture." Harm comment blandly. "But I bet that cowpoke over there is enjoying his view much more than you're enjoying yours." He'd moved in front of her before he'd finished. Her eyes wide, Mac looked around Harm and swore. A little less than fifty feet away sat a man on horse back, grinning like a fool. He lifted his hat and spurred his horse when he saw that Harm had moved to block his view of the show.

"I can't believe it." She said quietly laying her forehead against Harm's chest.

"Get dressed, Marine, You'll never have to see him again." As Harm spoke his cell started ringing and once he'd answered it he waved Mac into the shower. "Hey, Bud!" 

Bud frowned at the information in front of him. "Are you all right, sir?"

"Great, Bud. What'cha got for me?"

"O'Hare used his credit card again, this time a diner in Salt lake City. I looked through his service record and did some digging. Turns out he has an old shipmate who retired in Salt Lake City. If he's gone there, we probably won't see a hotel bill."

"Do you have an address on the buddy?" Harm scribbled what Bud relayed and smiled as he heard Mac humming in the shower.

"Bud, give my best to Harriet and hug little AJ for Mac."

"Yes, sir." Bud frowned again drawing Harriet's attention. "Are you sure you're all right, sir?"

Harm smiled briefly at the bathroom door. "Never been better Bud, see you soon."

Harm slid into the shower just as Mac had finished washing her hair and he updated her while he washed her back. Resisting the urge to indulge the fantasy he'd toyed with earlier, Harm placed a chaste kiss on Mac's shoulder and smiled. "Come on, Marine, Let's get on the road."

Mac smiled and nodded. She slid on a pair of comfortably inexpensive jeans and threw on a cotton peasant top. As Harm vacated the bathroom she pulled on a cardigan and garbbed her make up bag.

The intimate morning routine made Harm wonder if every morning would be like this: comfortably queit, mostly unhurried. He smiled, thinking he'd be happy to start everyday this way then shook the thought from his mind and packed his belongings. "Hey, Jarhead! Salt Lake City is an 8 hour drive!"

"I'm coming." she called. Her face was freshly scrubbed and mostly unpainted for which Harm was grateful.

The car ride began quietly, and ended with a rousing, if off key duet of U2's, "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." The pair laughed until they hurt, and just as the sun slipped from the sky, they pulled into the driveway for the address Bud had provided.

Since they were in civvies, they decided to forego an official introduction. Mac went to the front of the car and pulled the hood up. Searching for a moment, she found the hose, and taking a pen knife loosened one end then the other, and slipped it into the outside pocket of her bag. 

"It's a risk."

"Scared, Flyboy?" _Terrified._ He heart screamed, but his head shook curtly. Taking her hand and threading his fingers through hers he walked with her to the front door. They were greeted by an older woman wearing angel oven mitts. "Yes?"

"Hi," Mac and Harm started at the same time. Mac looked at Harm and deferred to him. "Our car, uh, it just stopped. It died at the end of your driveway. We were lucky to get it off the road."

"Oh!" She looked at the two of them and nodded. "Let me get my husband." She ushered them inside and called for the man of the house. "Huey! Come, on in here. I bet you were on your way to see the Salt Lake, huh?" she smiled at the thought. "Tourists?" 

Mac nodded, "Yes, Ma'am. I'm Sarah and this is Harmon. We decided to take a scenic route. Harm here has an amazing sense of direction. He's never once gotten us lost." Her tone was surgury sweet, but her eyes told Harm just how sarcastic the comment was.

"Really? Huey!" she called again.

"Well, in seven years, Sarah has never once given me the wrong time—and she doesn't even own a watch." They all chuckled as she demonstrated her uncanny sense of timing remembering to translate to the twelve hour civilian time. "Do you see many people out this way?"

"No, Huey and I have had more visitors in the last two days than we've had in all the months we've lived here."

"Really?" harm raised a brow at Mac. "I'm sorry if we're intruding when you've guests." 

"No, no. Tom and his brother-in-law left this afternoon, on their was to Vegas I believe."

"Wow, that's a decent drive. What time did they leave?"

"Oh right after Oprah, so around 3:30." the little woman smiled at the couple before. "We're just about ready for dinner. Stay and eat, then Huey will look over that car."

"Thanks, Ma'am that would be great." Four hours later, new hose in place, Harm and Mac drove off headed for the Southern suburbs of Salt Lake City. Mac squeezed his knee as his eyes tried to drop closed. "That Holiday Inn up there looks awfully inviting."

"Yes," Mac groaned. "Sleep." In twenty minutes they were checked into the Holiday Inn, fast asleep, and totally unaware of the piercing blue eyes that followed them.

  
  


Day 2

0530

Salt Lake City, Utah

After a bare 5 hours of sleep Mac woke to the rumbling of her traitorous stomach. Finding it hard to be cheerful, she rolled from the bed and dialed room service, Fifteen minutes later she was gorging herself with eggs and toast. She watched Harm sleep, half wishing him awake, half wishing him to stay sleeping. After the food was gone, though, she let the part of her that wanted him awake win. Easing back into the bed, she lay her hands on his stomach and glided them down his body. Smiling at his unconcious response she took full advantage.

Harm's eyes snapped open as she shattered the dream world around him and called his name. "Sarah." He mumured as she collasped onto his chest. _Definitely the best possible way to wake up. _He mused running a hand down her back. Disentangling himself from her, he rose to devour the breakfast she had ordered them.

As they woke up to each other, Tom O'Hare and his brother-in-law returned to their Vegas hotel room to sleep off the night they'd spent of the casino floor. As Harm devoured his breakfast, a pair of baleful eyes watched their every move.

**@~~~~~~~**

Deciding to drive in shifts, Harm took the first shift and allowed Mac the time to sleep—time they probably wouldn't get in Vegas. He smiled at the thought of Elvis impersonators and slot machines. He drove four hours listening to the soft twang of the country music he liked and she tolerated. She slept soundly, but not queitly, as a nightmare was ripping through her mind.

_The eyes were blue, like the crystal water of the Caribean. They could've been Harm's eyes but there was a hard sheen to them, like maybe he was angry. As those strangely familiar eyes walked away from her she shivered. There was a flurry of pink feathers and the glitter of hundreds of lights. Mac, with a distinct sense of disgust and hurt, turned away from the flash of glitter and caught the glint of steel. Running toward the man screaming "Gun!" at the top of her voice seemed to warn no one. The man with the gun raced ahead of her to find a break in the crowd. "Mac!" she heard her name from far away. Harm's eyes. These were blue, and warm. Friendly, loving. She felt the dread curl in her stomach and poise to attack. The gun flashed and the bullet screamed across the wide opening catching Harm's chest just as she tried to push him out of danger._

Mac sat bolt upright in the passenger seeat. "Idiot!" Harm yelled as another car cut in front of him nearly close enough to trade paint. "You all right?" He asked as Mac settled back against the seat.

She took a deep breath and recalled the lifeless eyes that had ended her dream. "Yeah, I'll be fine. You ready to let me drive a while?"

"Sure." He said doubting the steadiness of her voice, but thinking better of metioning it.

Once she was behind the wheel, Mac settled into a brisk pace for the drive. Harm watched her for a few minutes then drifted into a heavy sleep that Mac envied. She turned on the radio to keep her company and listened for a minute to the country drivel Harm liked so much. Shrugging she tuned into a rock station and sang quietly with Tori Amos or The Clash with a wry smile and a lighter heart. Soon the nightmare was a memory, and she was turning the volume up to drown out Harm's incessant snoring. 

Four hours later she turned onto The Strip. Harm had only been awake a few minutes and he was glad he'd gotten to she her admiration for the obnoxiously lighted strech of highway. "Cool, huh?"

"Yeah." she commented with just a little whisper of admiration for the gaudiness of it all. Just past The Mirage they pulled into a hotel. Checking-in and dropping their bags in the room, Harm and Mac headed for the Bellagio, where O'Hare had last used his credit card. 

"Why is he doing this, Mac? He seems to be leading us straight to him."

'I know it doesn't make sense really." She said straightening the jacket of his dress whites. "If he's guilty he sure isn't trying to hide his whereabouts."

They finally stepped up to the counter, showed their ID's and were told that the Commander had gone to see the review in the theatre. Harm grinned and Mac rolled her eyes. The Desk clerk stopped them. "You won't find him in the audience. His friend bought a back stage package for both of them." Harm's grin grew and Mac swallowed a lengthy sigh.

When she stepped into the stage door Mac stopped dead. There were pink feathers and rhinestones flashed everywhere. A slick knot of dread formed in her stomach. 

The eyes that follwed the couple narrowed as Harm put a hand at the samll of her back. "What is it, Mac?"

"I-I don't know." She shook her short, dark cap fo hair. "Nothing." She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Let's go."

Harm left his hand where it was until they were separated by a line of onry chorus girls. Continuing to look for Tom O'Hare, Mac marched the stage lef to right and back again. Throwing up her hands in exasperation, she turned to see with a busty, blonde showgirl Harm wrapped around him. Her costume, consisting of pink feather and stick on rhinstones ruffled and flashed as she cruched her lips to Harm's. Mac swallowed hard recognizing the sense of disgust and hurt. She didn't want to turn around; she knew what she would see there, but just as she decided she couldn't stand it anymore Harm's eyes locked onto hers. There was an apology in them. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she turned, and saw the glint of steel. She looked up and caught the andry azure eyes. _So much like Harm's. _ She thought even as her feet began to carry her into the foot chase. "Mac!" she heard Harm's voice far behind her. She caught the man where she'd known she would. The lobby wasn't crowded and it was huge. It remained clear of people until Harm stepped out of a door across from her. His eyes found hers and held them. "Gun." She whispered, frozen by fright only a moment. "Gun!" she screamed racing toward him aiming to tackle him. Instead of pushing him to the side as she'd seen in the dream, she pushed him straight back. Harm's eyes went wide as he heard the crack of gunfire and felt her hands pushing him from the line of fire. His heart dropped to his knees when Mac's eyes went wide and her hand brushed over her chest. The pain exploded through her body as blood covered her hand then the oblivious darkness overwhelmed her.

  
  


  
  



	9. 3 Days 3 Cities 3 Little Words II

A/N: I know I left y'all hanging there, but it was kinda necessary. Thanks for reading and double thanks for the reveiws. Warning: I'm not a doctor, I only play one on TV. So the medical info may be seriously wrong. 

For Every Action 9: 3 days, 3 Cities, and Three Little Words Part II

Harm sat in the Veags hopsital wringing his hands, and drinking coffee. It had been two days since Mac was shot. There were no leads on Tom O'Hare, no more activity on his credit cards. Harm ran a nervous hand through his hair. _How is it that I seem to get everyone I love in trouble? Or put them in danger? _He was rubbing at tired, closed eyes when a familiar voice reached his ears. "I need an update, Commander." AJ Chegwidden's voice carried and revirbirated off the sparce walls of the hosptial corridor. Harm didn't jump to attention since he wasn't in uniform, instead he sat up on the bench, and started giving a run down of Mac's injuries. 

"She was shot from about twenty feet away. Bullet caught the shoulder, richoeted off a bone and nicked a blood vessel." He took a deep breath. "All of which was bad, but not life threathening. The surgeons had repaired all that dammage within a couple of hours. More dangerous, is the head injury she suffered when she knocked me out of the line of fire. She slammed her head into a marble wall. The doctors say there's no fracture tot he skull, and its a pretty nasty concussion." Harm looked up at the admiral, a man he admired and valued as a friend and commanding officer. "It's been two days and she still hasn't regained conciousness. Not good news, sir."

"She pull out of it, son, she's a fighter." Chegwidden laid a hand on the shoulder of his lead invstigator. "Any leads on the shooter?"

"No one has seen or heard from Thomas O'Hare since he left the _Gates._" Harm stood and shuffled to the window looking into Mac's room. "I can't figure this guy. He kills three women on his ship, violently, gruesomely, then uses credit cards and old friends to make his wasy across country." Harm looked up at AJ. "Sir, he hasn't made a race for the border, he hasn't done anything out of the ordinary for a man on vacation." 

"Why hadn't you two caught up to him yet?"

"He didn't have a plan for the trip. I guess its a spur of the moment thing. We have to wait until he uses a credit card or contacts an old buddy to find out where he's headed."

"I did a little digging myself, and found out his last assignment out here was aboard the Princeton, a guided missile cruiser. He was their intellegence officer."_ And that cost me, Rabb. _"I thought you'd want to check it out." 

"Sir, I--"

"What, Commander?"

"Sir, I can't leave." His eyes went to Mac's bed. "I need to be here when she wakes up."

"I'll stay with the Colonel."

"Yes, sir, but--" Harm looked at the prone figure on the bed. "I can't leave her, sir."

"Why?"

"Because I have some things to say to her. I want it to be the first thing she hears when she wakes up."

"You love her, son?" AJ ran a hand over the smooth dome of his head. 

"For a long time, sir."

"You know that causes me a few headaches, right?"

"It won't, sir."

"How's that?" 

"About a week ago I was offered a job as a civilian lawyer for a commercial airline. I'm going to take it."

"The hell you are."

"Sir, I want--"

"I don't care what you want. I will not lose either of you." _Dammit, Rabb._ "I'll have to pull some strings, but You are not to resign your commission. Is that understood?"

"I understand, sir, but if it come down to a choice between Mac and my carreer."

"It won't."

Harm turned to the window just in time to see Mac's hand close tightly around the bedrail. "Sir, get a doctor." In fifteen minutes Mac was back, though she was groggy and still very tired. The doctor attacked her with pokes, prodding, and questions. _Year? Name? Last thingyou remember?_ She felt like a metal paitient. 

After a while she went back to sleep. Harm talked to Chegwidden and told him he'd go to San Deigo the next day. _I need to talk to Mom and Frank anyway._ He spent the rest of the day at Mac's bedside watching her sleep and wake, holding her hand, talking quietly with her when she was up to it. Finally about 2100 she started fussing at him. "What were you thinking, Rabb?"

"Look I told you, that showgirl kissed me, and I all but ran over her when I saw the look on your face, Mac--"

"Not that. It's forgotten." She sqeezed the hand in hers. "You ran right out in front of the gun."

'I wasn't aware there was a gun."

Then they started talking at the same time.

"What my yelling 'gun!' didn't let you in on it?"/ "I was too busy trying to catch my girlfriend to see the gun."

"Girlfriend?"/ "What were you thinking chasing that guy around the casino?"

"Girlfriend?"/ "Would you stop repeating that?"

"I was trying to keep a crazed lunatic from killing you--"/ "I can take care of myself, why did you jump in front of me? I don't want you hurt, Sarah."

"Because I love you, you idiot!" They both yelled it at the same time and the room dropped into utter silence. 

Mac broke the silence "You love me?" she asked something all too close to doubt it her voice.

Harm nodded and swallowed hard. "You love me?" He asked taking her hand and hoping for the best.

"Yeah, Yeah I do." she answered quietly. "I've loved you for a long time, Harm."

"I'm not sure when it happened. Somehow I saw you one day and you weren't just my partenar, you were my friend, and long before I was ready to admit it, you were more than my friend." Harm lowered one hip onto her bed. "I was so scared you didn't feel..." she ran a hand down his cheek and guided his chin so he was looking at her. At the love that had been there for so long.

They smiled, and though they couldn't see him, AJ Chegwidden shared their smile even if his was a little sad. _She knows what's right_. He thought. _And she's proved it again._ He walked away with the bittersweet image of Harm holding Mac closely while quiet, joyous tears slid down her cheeks.

  
  


~*2*~

"Sir?" Harm knocked on the door to the admiral's room. 

"Enter." he barked. Harm smiled. Old habits die hard.

"I'd still like to go to San Diego tomorrow." 

"Fine, I'll stay with Colonel MacKenzie until you return or she can be flown back to D.C."

"Thanks, sir." Harm turned to leave, then thought better of it. "For everything." He added and left.

~*3*~

1330

USS Princeton, San Deigo, CA

Harm stepped onto the quarterdeck of the _USS Princeton_ and dragged down a deep breath. He had an appointment to speak with the LC that had been O'Hare's closest friend on board. He was now the ship's Chief Engineering Officer. "Commander Sikes." Harm heard the name behind him and fired off a salute before crossing the quaterdeck to run down Commander Sikes.

Two hours later Harm was more confused than ever. According to Sikes, O'Hare had called him the day before to arrange a casual lunch. This man just didn't fit the profile of a serial killer who could kill and conceal the bodies of his victims. Shaking his head, Harm fished his cell phone from the pocket of his pants. "Rabb."

"It's me." Mac voiced filled the line. Harm smiled. 

"Hey, Marine, sorry to leave you so soon, but I wanna get this guy."

"That's what I called about." she took a deep breath. "I'm no sure it was O'Hare. You'll have to check his service record, but I think he has brown eyes, and—"

"Gimme a second." Harm said as he popped open his briefcase on the passengar seat of the rental car he'd just walked to.

Mac heard him rifling throut papers and waited for the sound to abate before she continued. "I distinctly remember blue eyes."

"Blue?" Harm aske incredulous.

"Yeah, I remember thinking that they were like yours, but harder, meaner."

"Thomas O'Hare has brown eyes."

"That's what I was afraid of." Mac hauled herself to a sitting position and continued. "I think some one is trying to set him up-- I mean I know all we've is circumstantial, but Bud should be calling with forensics reports today."

"Yeah, I'll call him and see if he can put a rush on them." Harm put his key in the ignition and smiled thinking of his next errand. "You get some rest. I'll call you later tonight whe I get back to the ship."

"You're staying on board?"

"Yeah, there's a vacant stateroom. Why not?"

"Mmm." Mac intoned dubiously. "Talk to you later, Flyboy."

"All right, Jarhead, I'll call you around 0700 if I don't talk to you before then."

"Sleep well, Squid."

~*4*~

A pair of auquamarine eyes watched as Mac leaned back against the pillows and hung up the phone. When she was settled he continued walking down the hall unready to be seen just yet.

Hundreds of miles away a pair of nearly black eyes focused on the wiring for an extra light in a mostly unsused sotrage area. Finishing his installation he stepped back from the bulkhead. In the two weeks he or one of his workers had spent with the civilian contractor, they'd rarely seen anyone step into this compartment. Opening the hatch, he looked both ways before stepping into the passageway.

~*5*~

Harm pulled into his mother's driveway just before sunset. He pulled his aviator's sunglasses off as he bound up the back porch steps. He rocked back on his heels when his mother launched herself at him. "Harm!" she called as she wrapped him in a decidedly motherly bear hug. 

"Hi, Mom." He said, the infamous grin spreading quickly over his features. 

"What is it, Harm?" She asked seeing the grin widen by a fraction.

"What?" He asked trying to be innocent.

"Harmon Rabb, Jr. Don't you try playing dumb with me." She took her index finger and shoved it into his chest. "I'm your mother, I know that smile—far too well."

"I'm just glad I got to surprise you."

"Mmm-hmm." His mother intoned. "So," she started with all the subtly of a bulldozer. "How's Mac?"

The grin spread back over his face. Normally he would have given her a warning look or a biting come back. Instead he stood there smiling like an idiot. 

"I k_new _it!" she all but squealed.

"Mom, Mac's in the hospital right now." Harm's face was suddenly serious; his eye were dead hard.

"What happened?" She asked and Harm told her the whole story. By the end she was confused, but her joy over Harm and Mac surpassed all other emotions. "So what's next for you two?"

"Weeeell..." Harm trailed off thinking... "That's actually why I'm here." His mother's smile could've lit up a city block.

~*6*~

Harm made it back to the _Princeton_ just as Thomas O'Hare stepped off the gangplank. Harm's eyes were unreadable, but his hands delivered a clear messasge: resistance will get you hurt. O'Hare complied with little complaint thinking correctly that he'd seen murder in the blue eyes before him.

Harm walked him to the Legal office on the Princeton and sat him down. No words passed between them as Harm pulled the crime scene photos from the evidence locker on the wall. Harm knew with out a doubt he'd been chasing the wrong man. What was left of them man's dinner on his shoes proved it. "Why? What?" Tom tried to ask as he was overwhlemed by another wave of nausea. 

"Some one set it up to look like you killed those three women."

"W-why would anyone do that?" He aske trying to avoid looking at the picutures Harm had thrown in front of him.

"It looks like you would've had good motive." Harm gathered the pictures and replaced them with the victims serivce pictures. 'This one," he said, pointing out a Fireman Valeria Franklin, "was arrested for a DUI on I-10 March 1, 2001."

"The day Angie died. My wife."

"Yeah, then there's this." Harm pulled out the glass he's given Mac. 

"The Souvenior I gave Colonel MacKenzie?"

"These," Harm said holding out pictures of the victims' glasses, "Were found with each body. They're identical to the one you gave Mac." 

"And I even told her to open it later, and that I was leaving." The enormity of it hit him suddenly. "He said he'd given then to several of his women friends. That they'd 'gone to pieces' over them." Tom said swallowing hard.

  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  


  
  



	10. Semper Fi, Marine

A/N: I'm not a pilot I don't know if what Harm's asking for is even possible. I also realize the the limits of reality in this installment.

I'm going to go ahead and end this. I'd rather write "Goodnight My Someone," And apparently there are those who feel going further with the action portion of the story ruins it. I'll write one more installment to tie up the H/M loose ends...warning it will probably be short.

Thanks again for reading and Reviewing...

For Every Action 10: Delayed, Detained and Determined

Mac awoke to find her arms restrained and her eyes unnatrually heavy. Her uncanny sense of time told her it was hours later than the 0700 hour when Harm had said he'd call. She tried to turn her head and found it painful due to the strap restraining that movement. She moved herhead as far n each direction as possible and realized that she was nolonger in her hospital room. Twisting against her restraints as far as she could she saw the admiral slumped in a chair, his arms restrained and his mouth covered with duct tape. She knew her mouth was free of tape or gag and tried to call out for help. She called until she was hoarse, but no one answered. Suddenly she was tired again,her traitorous injuries prventing her from more resistance. She tried one last scream before the darkness envleoped her again.

~*2*~

Harm and Tom O'Hare had jumped into his car and raced to the airport as soon as he'd revealed who gave him the glass. "I just can't believe it, he seems so normal, so average." O'Hare mused as Harm waited to talk with a man about a private charter. 

"Yes, we want to be ready for take off in fifteen minutes...Find a way. Get it cleared...I don't care about the fee...I'll get you your money, now be ready to be in the air when we get there." Harm barked loudly. 

Commander O'Hare took hold of the handle above his head as Harm peeled around a right turn and swung into a parking space. Leaving everything in the car he raced for the terminal and prayed he wouldn't be too late.

As the pair of Naval Officers buckled into their seats, O'Hare asked Harm: "If Lt. Commander Gregory's so obsessed with these women, why did he toture then kill them?"

"I don't know." Harm said trying to block the image from his head. "There doesn't seem to be any kind of motive."

Across the border in Nevada, Sarah Mackenzie was learning all about motive. He backed toward her from the right, still staring out at the deepening twilight sky. "Elaine wouldn't be happy if she knew I was here." He ran a hand through his hair and rested his hip on the foot of her bed. As the grogginess seeped from her limbs and brain Mac Tried to look at him. "I know you never got around to ...." he trailed off. "Or did you, bitch?"

"What?" Mac was confused.

"I know she had an affair with that Valeria woman. I wished it had been her driving the car that night. Instead Angie had made her stop and taken her place at the wheel." He sighed. Elaine doesn't have a clue that I know about her and Fireman Franklin. I've done it all for her."

"How was killing three women a favor to your girlfriend, Gregory?" Mac let just enough digust filter into her voice to make Gregory mad. He turned on her.

"When she broke it off, Franklin blackmailed Elaine. Said she'd go to the XO. Fratenernization charges would've killed her career."

"Wouldn't have done you much good either would it? I mean people knowing your girlfriend's a lesbian?"

"She's confused."

"So she was planning to leave you."

"Elaine knows me better than that."

"She knows you'd try to kill her if she did leave?." Mac stated blandly.

His hackles rose, his usually flat aquamarine eyes hardened to steely beads, " I would never hurt Elaine. I love her."

"You love her so you kill the woman she was having an affair with—and what bout the other two?"

"They all talked about Elaine. They were all shameless, then they took her to New Orleans, and I new something was wrong." Gregory ran a hand through his hair, aggitated. "She was never the same with me!" he screamed clearly starting to lose control.

"She didn't want you anymore, right?." Mac asked trying to keep his attention off the Admiral who was now beginning to come to.

"She kept dropping hints. Talking about Valeria. So I made sure Valeria couldn't hurt us anymore."

"You killed her." Mac stated blandly. "Then you killed her two friends."

"Her two whores."

"And that's what realy bothered you, isn't it, Gregory." She said catching and holding his gaze as he whirled to face her. In the corner, Chegwidden worked against his ropes. "That they didn't want or need men for anything."

"Yeah, that's what you'd think, but when thye knew they were going to die they wanted a man to rexcue them."

"I doubt it." Mac pushed as Chewidden worked one hand free and showed it to her.

"I was there, I watched and I assure you." He stared at her eyes as he walked toward her and wrapped a gloved hand around her throat. "You'll want a man to rescue you to...once you realize it's really over." His eyes glazed and the pressure from his hand increased. Nearly two minutes later Mac started to wonder if he was right, but it was then that she saw the IV stand raised behind Gregory. Seconds later it crashed down onto his head. And Mac let the darkness take over one more time.

  
  


  
  


  
  



End file.
